The Wildlife Wing of the Forest Department on Friday suspended four Gypsy drivers and four guides of Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary (UPKWS) for seven days. The action followed their involvement in a blatant violation of tourism norms when they reportedly cornered a tigress and her five cubs at Gothangaon lake on Tuesday.
Each driver was fined ₹2,500, while guides were fined ₹450. The incident came to light through a viral video showing tourist vehicles blocking the forest road from both sides after spotting the tigress and her cubs. The video shows the vehicles crowded together as tourists clambered to take pictures and videos. One guide is seen attempting to take a selfie with the tigress in the background while the driver reversed the vehicle.
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The tigress appeared disturbed by the close proximity of the vehicles and the noisy tourists. The guidelines for responsible tourism mandate that vehicles maintain a 50-metre distance from wildlife, and no vehicle should stop in areas with tiger cubs. In this case, the vehicles were seen two to three deep, blocking the narrow pathway and sandwiched between the tigress and her cubs.
The park management confirmed the violation of these guidelines, emphasizing the need for minimal interference with wild animals. An investigation is underway, and further action will be decided based on the findings. Sources suggest that the drivers and guides crowded the area to attract tourists in hopes of earning tips, as sightings of the tigers encouraged more visitors the following day.
Dr. Prabhu Nath Shukla, Deputy Director of Pench Tiger Reserve, who is also in charge of UPKWS, directed Range Forest Officer Aarti Uikey to take immediate action.
Tourists were seen excitedly photographing and recording the tigers, unaware of the potential danger posed by crowding the area. The narrow road alongside the lake makes it easy for vehicles to trap animals, and had the tigress felt threatened, she could have charged.